


I must confess

by cooperjonesinc



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Light Angst, Pining, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-06
Updated: 2018-06-06
Packaged: 2019-05-18 19:06:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14858531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cooperjonesinc/pseuds/cooperjonesinc
Summary: Dear Diary,I must confess….I’m in love with my best friend – but let me be clear, this isn’t really new information, so to speak - but it’s the first time of putting it to paper, or having it ‘out there’.How do I know?It’s the way my stomach flip-flops whenever he laughs. It’s the way my heart pounds in my ears when he calls me ‘Betts’. And, it’s the way all the white noise in my head disappears when he looks at me.I’ve been in love with him since I can remember.Since the days of sandpits, treehouses and running under the sprinkler in summer. Since the days of scraped knees, dirty grass-stained clothes and shared cookies.It’s always been him. It’ll always be him.





	I must confess

**Author's Note:**

> What would’ve happened if Betty was actually secretly crushing on Jughead?  
> Think about it...
> 
> I have been, along with listening to Adore by the beautiful Amy Shark on repeat, for days and days.
> 
> And now there’s this.

_Now go when you're ready_  
  
_My head's getting heavy_  
  
_Pressed against your arm_  
  
_I adore you, I adore you_

 

* * *

 

  
Elizabeth “Betty” Cooper was the perfect-girl-next-door. She had blonde hair that rivalled the sun on a hot summer’s day, she was an A+ student with a list of extra-curricular activities as long as your arm, and she was a cheerleader.  
And, there was her next-door-neighbour, Archibald “Archie” Andrews. The All-American-Footballer, aspiring musician with a heart of gold and a cheeky smile.  
  
_However, there was one small catch..._  
  
“Just one kiss?”  
  
“Just one kiss.” He repeated.  
  
With knees touching, hands sweating and nervous short spurts of breath, both Archie and Betty nodded before squeezing their eyes shut and closing the gap that separated them.  
  
_Polly had once said, “You’ll know as soon as your lips touch, Betty. It’ll feel like fireworks in your chest, your head will spin and your stomach will leap right out of mouth! You’ll just know.”_  
  
So, when Betty’s lips met the lips of her ginger-haired best friend, she already knew why she didn’t feel any fireworks in her chest, she didn’t feel her head didn’t spin and her stomach certainly didn’t leap right out of her mouth - if anything, she felt nauseous.  
  
“Um.”  
  
“Yeah, um.” Betty echoed, pulling away from the lacklustre kiss.  
  
“Did you _feel_ anything?” Archie questioned, with a hint of awkwardness.  
  
She chewed her lip, and twisted her fingers.  
  
Archie simply nodded. He understood.  
  
“What do we do now, Arch?” She whispered.  
  
“We do nothing, Betty.”  
  
She couldn’t help her mouth falling open and her eyebrows meeting in the centre of her forehead at his casual response. Just when she was about to protest his response, he jumped right in-  
  
“It is what it is, I suppose.”  
  
“But, Arch,” Betty stood up, wiping her palms on the front of her jeans. “Everyone thinks that we…”  
  
Archie laughed as he picked up his guitar, “Betty, since when do _you_ believe what everyone thinks?” He moved a few steps toward her, grabbing a hold of her arms, and looking into her green eyes, “I think we both know who you _really_ wanna kiss, anyway.” Archie planted a peck on her forehead and hurried downstairs.  
  
Betty stood there bewildered. She wanted to refute what he was implying, but there was no point. He was right. So she sucked in a breath, gathered both herself and her belongings and rushed home before her mother had a chance to come knocking down Fred’s door.  
  
—  
  
It was nearing ten o’clock when Alice did the usual knocking on Betty’s bedroom door - making sure her homework was done, her medication was taken and skin routine was completed. Betty had responded with her usual rehearsed answers.  
  
Once their wishes of sweet dreams and goodnights were exchanged, Betty pulled her diary out from the drawer of her bedside table. Her mind holding onto Archie’s throwaway comment from earlier that afternoon, _I think we both know who you really wanna kiss, anyway_.  
  
Flicking through her well-worn diary, she sighed as she found a fresh page. Clicking her pen into action, Betty squeezed her eyes shut for a few moments and decided it was time to put it all on paper-

  
  
_Dear Diary,_  
  
_I must confess…._  
  
_I’m in love with my best friend – but let me be clear, this isn’t really new information, so to speak - but it’s the first time of putting it to paper, or having it ‘out there’._  
  
_How do I know?_  
  
_It’s the way my stomach flip-flops whenever he laughs. It’s the way my heart pounds in my ears when he calls me ‘Betts’. And, it’s the way all the white noise in my head disappears when he looks at me._  
  
_I’ve been in love with him since I can remember._  
_Since the days of sandpits, treehouses and running under the sprinkler in summer. Since the days of scraped knees, dirty grass-stained clothes and shared cookies._  
  
_It’s always been him. It’ll always be him._  
  
_Everyone says that Archie and I will be “The Perfect Power Couple” one day. But. To me, Archie is a brother. I don’t see Archie as any more than that. I mean, he’s Archie Andrews. I helped him read. I helped him write. I helped him when he had his first date._  
  
_We even kissed today._  
_It was……_  
_Not great, to be honest. But it’s done now. We can both put that to bed and carry on._  
_Although, I have a feeling Riverdale have been planning our wedding since day dot._  
_The Cooper Girl and the Andrews Boy._  
_So, we’ll probably be breaking the heart of our little town. But._  
_It’s never been Archie. It’ll never be Archie._  
  
_Jughead Jones though?_  
_It’s always been him. It’ll always be him._  
  
_I think Archie knows… he made a comment today, and I almost threw up. Right there in the middle of his bedroom. Thankfully he was running late for his guitar lesson, so I didn’t get a chance to deny it. I mean, is there really any point now though?_  
  
_I don’t know, Diary. This is everything I’ve feared for a long time now. The very foundation of our entire friendship crumbling from right below us because of my stupid feelings! It’s that simmering feeling below the surface that’s threatening to bubble over._  
  
_I need to sleep on this._  
_I have a feeling everything is about to hit the fan._

  
  
To Betty- It was _always_ going to be her friend in the funny looking beanie. It was _always_ going to be her friend who knew the definition of sarcasm from a far too early age. It was _always_ going to be the friend she read books with until Alice Cooper would call for her as the sun disappeared for the night. It was _always_ going to be the friend that held her when she cried. And, it was _always_ going to be the friend that accepted her for who she _truly_ was.  
  
It was _always_ going to be Jughead Jones.  
The third person in the triangle of friendship.  
  
Betty sighed, closed the diary and placed it back on the bedside table. She leaned over and switched her lamp off and closed her eyes - falling asleep to the thought of a certain boy wearing flannel, suspenders and a crown shaped beanie.  
  
—  
  
Betty didn’t do parties.  
Betty didn’t enjoy parties.  
But when Kevin did that pout-y thing that he does a little too well, and when he laid those doe like puppy dog eyes on her - Betty crumbled.  
  
“Two hours, Kevin.” She stated. “Two hours, then I’m leaving, with you or without you.”  
  
Kevin rolled his eyes, “You’re such a drama queen.”  
  
Berry shot him a murderous look, “I learnt from the best.”  
  
“Touché, Cooper, touché.”  
  
With the mansion coming into view, Betty fidgeted with the hem of her sweater, seemingly anticipating the remarks she’ll no doubt be receiving from the host herself, Cheryl Blossom. But she smiled slightly as she felt Kevin’s hand grab hers and squeeze, “She won’t bother you, Betty. She’s got her eyes on Archibald, anyhow.”  
  
Soon enough, the songs of the top forty were assaulting her ears, and shockingly, Kevin was nowhere in sight. Betty took a breath and swallowed the lump of anger that had risen to her throat, followed by a swig of Red Bull and vodka.  
  
“Oh my _god_.” She yelped as the alcohol coated her throat and reached her stomach.  
  
“That shit is vile, Betts.”  
  
Betty spun around and almost lost her footing, “ _Juggie_.” She gasped.  
  
“Here, this might help.”  
  
She reached for the can of Coke and sent him a wordless thank you.  
  
“Kevin drag you here?” Jughead quizzed, knowing full well that he did, and knowing that he likely had other intentions.  
  
“Of course, and now I have no idea where he is.”  
  
“I saw him hooking up with Joaquin down the hall.”  
  
Betty let out a huff of frustration and rolled her shoulders, “should’ve known.”  
  
“Let’s go outside.”  
  
She grabbed his outreached hand, and followed him closely as they made their way through the crowd of drunken sweaty teenagers singing, and dancing, and grinding up against each other.  
How they managed to make it outside unscathed was beyond Betty.  
  
“I feel like I haven’t seen you in ages, Betts. What’s going on?”  
  
There was a sudden pang of guilt that gripped her heart at his question. Since the kiss, and her realization that Archie may have cottoned onto her feelings for Jughead - she had made a conscious effort to actively avoid him, for fear of a casual ‘ _oh, yeah, Jughead, I love you_ ,’ slipping from her mouth in conversation.  
  
“Just school stuff.”  
  
_Liar, liar, pants on fire._  
  
“I see, fair enough. Well, I’ve missed you.”  
  
Betty shivered slightly as she felt a surge of heat trail down her spine, “I’ve missed you too.” She squeaked.  
  
_More than you’ll ever know._  
  
Jughead nodded toward a wall for them to sit on, away from the bustling party, and for some peace and quiet.  
  
“Archie and I kissed the other day.” Betty revealed.  
  
She felt his eyes on her. Her body immediately reacting; goosebumps on the surface, the pink moving from her cheeks to her chest and her fingers and toes curling.  
  
“Okay.”  
  
“I mean, it was nothing, really. You know, Polly used to say I’d feel fireworks -“  
  
“In your chest, your head will spin and your stomach will leap right out of mouth. Yeah, I remember.” His voice sounding a little on edge.  
  
_Of course he remembers. Jughead remembers everything._  
  
“But it was nothing. We both felt nothing.”  
  
He hummed in response, followed by what looked like a half nod, and a slight clenching of his jaw.  
  
The air between them felt thick and heavy, like a cloud of something new and unknown was now hanging over them, just waiting to unleash whatever it could.

“You wanna get out of here, Juliet?” he asked, pushing himself off the wall and reaching for her hand.

Betty jumped off the wall, offered him a small smile and took his outreached hand. “Where do you wanna go, Romeo?” The combination of the alcohol she consumed not long before fuelling a level of confidence she usually wouldn’t have, plus the feel of his hand in hers – had her feeling some kind of way.

But, it was when Jughead moved closer to her, and when his lips briefly touched the shell of her ear and when his voice went low and husky, whispering, “ _I’ll go wherever you go, Betty,_ ” that had her head spinning, her stomach doing flips and a small display of fireworks going off deep in her chest that had her realising just how screwed she really was.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. Comments are appreciated.  
> I’m not sure of how many chapters this will; because, really, I’m flying blind.
> 
> If you wanna chat, I’m on tumblr as well -  
> cooperjonesinc


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